


Starlight and Stone

by Jarakrisafis



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-06
Updated: 2016-05-06
Packaged: 2018-06-06 17:39:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6763714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jarakrisafis/pseuds/Jarakrisafis





	Starlight and Stone

“If this is to end in fire, then we'll all burn together.”

Except there had been no together.

No end.

No fire left, just a great emptiness like a forge gone out.

Tauriel chuckles, a harsh sound, for there is no mirth left. So far gone is she that the first thing that comes to mind is such a Dwarven analogy.

Or perhaps she isn't far enough gone.

Tied to two worlds and stuck in between them.

Starlight and stone.

Fitting perhaps that her last fight will be with both. It is a clear night, Earendil's silmaril burning brightly above them as they look down upon the enemy gathered from Angmar.

The harsh cries of orcs and other beasts of evil echo upwards, they cannot drown out the softly spoken Adunaic and Sindarin from around her, and strange that she has almost forgotten how her own tongue sounds, for no matter that they are descended of the ancient kings of man, and from one of the halfelven who chose to be mortal, they cannot ever have the same quality of speech that her full kin have.

A waterskin is passed and she drinks, barely noticing that the liquid burns, she passes it on to soft thanks. The men will need all the courage they can get tonight.

Although, perhaps they may not need it as much as she thinks, they are not like the men of Esgaroth, who fought to save their wives and children and if they had the choice would likely have run.

No, these men are... different. Perhaps that's why she decided to stay. Perhaps. She's not entirely sure anymore. She'd followed Legolas across the mountains, not sure where she was going, only that it had to be away from Erebor. Away from cold stone that would never again be warm.

Legolas hadn't stayed too long, he came and went, sometimes with years between, but what were years to an elf? Tauriel stayed. The men were dark, intimidating even, but they had honour. And they fought the evil still in the land. That was enough for her.

One visit, Legolas had asked if she missed the forest. She hadn't realised until then that she had not, that the trees and plants no longer called to her senses. Instead it was to rock and stone. She had made her choice long ago on Ravenshill and she had been too deep in her grief to realise it.

Once she could not understand why any of the elves who had bonded with mortals would ever choose that, would choose to make that choice. Once. Now she wishes she had known the answer before.

No. She would not change their meeting, no matter how little time it was to be.

She rests a hand on the stone, the rough grain soothing her, in a way that it never could another elf. But she's not an elf anymore, not entirely. She's not sure what she is exactly.

The orcs are shifting, held in check by darker powers, they are waiting, waiting. Soon though, they will be unleashed.

The ravens have been busy, the dwarven contingent from the blue mountains keeping in touch with their brethren.

Rohan and Gondor warred with Mordor, the forces of Gundabad and Moria had once again laid siege to Dale and Erebor, there were rumours of elves fighting in Dol Guldor. Everywhere there was darkness and death.

She looked up at the heavy clump of steel toed boots and like every time she had to fight down the lump that seemed to lodge in her throat as the Dwarven leader crouched beside her.

The resemblance to her youngest son was uncanny, even with her hair gone steel grey and a face set from stone, with none of the ever present laughter that her son had.

Tauriel was not the only one who could not face Erebor and the shadows it held. It had been a long night when they first met, as Dis wrapped her hands around the black stone, fingers rubbing absently over the carvings. Tauriel had only meant to return it and leave, but they had found a common grief and had sat long into the night talking of the youngest son of Durin.

She had wanted to know if Dain had ever asked if she wanted to go and see where they were laid to rest and Dis had laughed, a harsh thing and shook her head, braids clicking together. “I knew when he sent me a raven addressed to Dis, daughter of Thrain, Queen under the Mountain. I knew they must have fallen. I couldn't do it. I sent the raven back, told him I was abdicating and that I will not set foot in the place that took the last of my kin.”

It has been many years since then. But the bond between them, such a strange thing, a bond between elf and dwarf, is a strong as it was then. Forged as it is in grief and memories. Dis holds out her hand and Tauriel reaches out, feeling something press into her palm as they meet. The blackstone, more worn than before, rests there and Dis smiles, her face softening for a moment.

“If this is to end tonight, then we'll all die together.”


End file.
